bioMerieux Unveils TEMPO(R) at IAFP, the First Automated Quality Indicator Testing System for the Food Industry
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ — bioMerieux, Inc., a leading industrial microbiology and diagnostics company, announces the launch of TEMPO(R), an industry-first for the food market, at the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Meeting in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. TEMPO is the food industry’s first automated quality indicator testing system for the enumeration of quality indicator organisms in food and environmental samples. The system was designed to help food companies and laboratories conduct their work more accurately and efficiently with the benefits of automation.
TEMPO automates testing for total viable counts, coliform counts, generic E. coli, and Enterobacteriaceae. Testing for these organisms is important to a food quality laboratory for determining overall product hygiene and also as an indication of product spoilage. If there is an unacceptable level of these organisms in a facility’s food products, it can lead to a negative financial impact. Automation helps to standardize numerous preparation steps, interpretation, and test results. This process can dramatically improve workflow and enables the lab technician more time to focus on other activities, leading to labor savings.”Quality indicator testing is sometimes referred to as ‘routine indicator testing.’ We designed TEMPO to help a food facility change the ‘tempo’ of their work and change their routine by using a new useful tool for the testing of their quality indicator organisms,” explained Herb Steward, bioMerieux’s Senior Vice President of North American Commercial Operations. “The TEMPO takes a routine, labor-intensive test and automates it, which provides a great deal of value to the laboratory. The improved workflow allows the lab to better synchronize their production schedule and product release from inventory.”
Lab automation is growing at a rapid pace due to the added benefits for the facility in terms of productivity and performance. By automating previously time-consuming tasks, lab technicians have more time to be proactive with Quality Assurance programs, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) plans, training, and analysis. The rapid results achieved with automated systems allow the customer’s product to be released earlier, thereby increasing cash flow for the organization.
bioMerieux will sponsor a roundtable discussion at IAFP with key opinion leaders who will share their scientific experiences with TEMPO. Attended by companies including Nestle USA and Tyson Foods, the discussion will provide firsthand reports on workflow, performance data, and laboratory implementation of the new system. In addition to the roundtable discussion, IAFP attendees can receive a demonstration of TEMPO at bioMerieux’s booth.
About bioMerieux, Inc.
bioMerieux is a leading international diagnostics group that specializes in the field of in vitro diagnostics for clinical and industrial applications. bioMerieux designs, develops, manufactures and markets systems (i.e. reagents, instruments and software) used in: Clinical applications: the diagnosis of infectious diseases such as hepatitis, HIV, tuberculosis and respiratory illnesses, as well as pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer, based on the analysis of biological samples (such as blood, saliva or urine); and Industrial applications: the microbiological analysis of food, environments (such as water and air), surfaces and pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, based on the analysis of product or environmental samples.
In 2005, bioMerieux sales reached 994 million euros. The company is present in more than 130 countries through 35 subsidiaries and a large network of distributors, which positions the company well to benefit from the growth potential of the in vitro diagnostics market. Some important drivers that underpin this growth are aging populations and age-related illness, illnesses related to life-style and eating habits, emerging new pathogens, the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the fight against bio-terrorism, and the recognition of the importance of the quality of food products. bioMerieux is listed on the Eurolist of Euronext, Paris (FR0010096479 – BIM). Other information can be found at http://www.biomerieux-usa.com
